Timothy Birdnow

But this is the exact right strategy for Zelensky and Ukraine in this war.

There is no difference between Ukraine striking Russian gasoline and diesel facilities and the American attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure. Both have the goal of bankrupting the belligerent.

As long as Russian forces are operating inside of Ukrainian territory the Ukrainians are fighting a losing game. They need to take the fight to Russia itself. And the tenderest part of Putin is his wallet.

At tehe same time Zelensky has been desperately trying to get the West and particularly the U.S. into the game and this upends much of Trump's strategic efforts by driving the price of diesel way up - just before an election. The Ukrainians supported Hillary Clinton in '16 and no doubt they would love to put Democrats back in power so they would simply go over Trump's head and send a lot more aid.All along the whole West has been feeding an elephant with an eyedropper, not giving the Ukraine what it needs to win but just enough to stay competitive. If the price of EVERYTHING goes up worldwide, and it will because diesel is what powers trucks, the world may take notice. Now the Russo-Ukrainian war is old news and not getting many headlines. Zelensky needs to change that.

Causing global inflation may well change that.

It's a race against time for these two countries; who is going to be unable to continue first? Time is on Russia's side but it's going to cost them dearly. Time will run out for the Ukrraine first, even though they have more natural resources per square mile. Russia just has so many more square miles - and people.

So going after Russian energy is the only logical move for the Ukrainians and to be piqued over it is pointless and silly. Trump's a realist; he had to know this would happen.

I suspect he did; he just wants the Ukraine to play nice until the election is over. I suspect he has probably promised them things for after the election, but the Ukrainians aren't going to wait because they really can't. As I pointed out, they are now flying old fashioned open air planes and shooting at drones with pistols. That means they are nearing the end.

Right now Zelensky has leverage and that leverage is Russian energy. He would be a fool not to use it.

Posted by: Mike at September 14, 2026 11:37 PM (9Epdh)

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at September 16, 2026 07:14 AM (oflqW)

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